The Boy and the Heron: the protagonist of MIYAZAKI Hayao’s masterful film is a grieving young boy who moves to the countryside after his mother is killed during the War and his father marries his aunt. The adventure that follows is magical, with a very particular sensibility, making great use of its courageous and headstrong protagonist. The world created is fascinating, and the animation is superb. It all starts with character creation: the protagonist and his family are lovely humans, distinctive and clean in their design; it all starts to go very creative from there, with interesting creatures (such as the heron from the international title) and servants. The world is beautifully drawn, with very imposing (and realistic) architecture, colourful landscapes, and imaginative locales. The vocal performances are all very effective, with SANTOKI Sooma making a solid hero. The musical score, composed by Joe Hisaishi, is rather beautiful.